Year of the Spark: January 23
by Sparky Army
Summary: John comforts Elizabeth after everyone thought he was dead. Quite angsty. The twenty-third installment of a years worth of Sparky stories!


_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers that Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of __Stargate Atlantis__, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree. _

And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way! 

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**Disclaimer**: Not mine; wish it was; that would be nice.

Note from author (Stargatecrazy): Slight spoiler for Siege III but every Sparky fan should have seen it. Well, enjoy this angst filled fic!

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**Sweet Salvation**

_By Stargatecrazy_

With her head leant back against the wall and her eyes closed, Elizabeth let the faint breeze and the smell of the salty ocean wash over her. It was calming. Almost as if it rid her of all her troubles. Almost.

Letting her mind wander over the events of the past few days, she didn't even notice the tell tale hiss of the balcony doors as they opened. Nor did she hear the soft footsteps that walked towards her.

But she did, however, feel his presence. And just before his hand found a place on her shoulder, she acknowledged him. Tilting her head forwards, away from its position against the wall, she spoke softly.

"What is it, John?" She sighed tiredly; opening her eyes.

John let his hand drop back down to his side from where he'd attempted to lay it on Elizabeth's shoulder.

"Elizabeth, I'm worried about you. You've been different lately. What's wrong?" He went to step closer but Elizabeth pushed off from the wall and walked over to the balcony railing. She leant on it as if it were some sort of life line. The silence stretched out. Suddenly she spun from the railings and turned to face him.

"Wrong? What do you think is wrong John?" She asked him in the same defensive tone she'd been using lately. She choked back a sob and John's heart went out to her. He hadn't known that she had taken it this badly.

"They told me you were dead. Dead, John! For days I couldn't stop crying." Elizabeth didn't care if she appeared weak anymore. In her mind she _was_ weak. "When I finally admitted to myself that you weren't coming back, I stopped crying. I stopped caring. I loved you John, but now…"

As Elizabeth admitted this, a single tear fell silently down her cheek. It seemed as if the gentle breeze had stopped. It seemed as if time itself had stopped. Elizabeth spoke softly, so softly John wondered for a moment if she had said anything at all.

"You promised me John. You promised me you'd stop making me think you were dead. You promised…"

John swallowed and took a step closer to his distraught friend. Taking her left hand in his right, he said, "Elizabeth, I'm still here. I'm back. That's what matters."

He freed his hand from hers and used it to brush the tears from her face. She smiled weakly and raised her eyes to meet his. "But you won't always be here John. Next time, next time you might not come back."

"Elizabeth, I will always be here for you and I promise, promise that I will always try to make it back to Atlantis, back to you. You know that." He flattened his palm against her cheek and Elizabeth leant into his hand. He was so close to her now. She could feel his body heat.

"John?" She whispered, almost as if she was frightened. John supposed she was; she was afraid to be hurt again.

John quieted her and whispered, "I love you Elizabeth. I'll always be here for you," before he laid his lips on hers.

She moaned as his mouth pressed against hers. Slowly, John's hands found their way to Elizabeth's waist and pulled her closer. Elizabeth reached up and threaded her fingers into his short, messy hair as John's tongue opened her mouth. She moaned again and a grasped his hair tighter.

John's tongue ran across the roof of her mouth, before changing direction to run over her bottom lip. One of his hands had now become locked in Elizabeth's wavy brown hair. John pulled his mouth away from Elizabeth's and instead began to kiss his way down her neck. She groaned in pleasure as he reached her collar bone and John grinned into her shoulder.

Moving back, John once again pressed his lips to hers. Their kissing intensified; the hurt and pain from before either long forgotten or instead fuelling their passion.

Someone laughing in the control room suddenly brought them to their senses. Elizabeth pulled away from John in shock, not believing what she had just allowed to happen. Running a hand through her hair, she stood awkwardly.

"I…" She trailed off, no longer angry at John but still unsure.

Seeing the look on John's face, a mixture of hurt and anxiety, Elizabeth said the only thing she could.

"I love you too, John. It's just so hard sometimes."

John stepped forwards, wrapping his arms around her in a loving embrace and kissing the top of her head. "Thank you, John. Thank you for everything."

John didn't reply. He just held the woman he'd come to love in his arms. She sighed. It was a sigh of both sadness and contentment. John tightened his embrace. Elizabeth smiled into his neck.

John would always be there for her; he'd promised.

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_So, angst is all I do. I can't seem to manage fluff, but since a lot of Sparky shippers I know are all angst junkies, I realised that it didn't matter. BECAUSE IT'S SPARKY!! _


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